Dutch startup ColorFabb is known for developing innovative materials for desktop 3D printers. Founded in 2013 by Ruud Rouleaux, ColorFabb has successfully introduced materials such as PLA+PHA filaments, Woodfill filaments and ColorFabb XT (Co-Polyester) filaments.

ColorFabb announced lately it plans to beta test two new materials: BronzeFill and BambooFill which are scheduled to launch in the next months.

Bronzefill

BronzeFill is a PLA/PHA based compound mixed with 80% fine bronze powder. The material is four times heavier than standard PLA. It has a density of approx 4 gr/cc (cubic centimeters) and feels like real metal.

First polishing test

Bronzefill can be polished to get the beautiful metallic sheen as all other solid bronze products. After polishing, the normal visible layer lines disappear and the bronze object begins to stand out. ColorFabb says it will start doing intensive material tests in the next two months. Meanwhile they are looking for alternative methods to polish delicate printed parts in the easiest and most effective way.

After 30 mins hand polishing

Bronzefill first beta tests will be carried out in the printstudio from ColorFabb, with 11 3D printers with different set up. You can follow the @ColorFabb Twitter account for updates.

BambooFill

The second new material is the BambooFill filament, a PLA/PHA based compound mixed natural fillers. For BambooFill a specially selected micronized Bamboofiber has been added. Early tests have shown that the printability of the BambooFill materials are very good, even with nozzles with a diameter smaller than 0.4 mm.

Printing BambooFill on the print bed with tape shows very good adhesion and near-zero warping. This indicates that the BambooFill materials has isotropic mechanical properties.

In order to supply community with the highest quality filament possible, and to meet the growing market demand, ColorFabb has recently invested heavily in a new production facility, including three semi automatic production lines, equipped with online gauge scanners and double coil spool winders.

The commercial launch of the new materials is scheduled for mid of June 2014.

Can anyone say what 3D printer was used for the parts shown? What layer thickness was set and temperatures used? When are these materials available to buy? Very good parts so far.

John Russell wrote at 5/13/2014 9:56:35 PM:

Can anyone say what 3D printer was used for the parts shown? What layer thickness was set and temperatures used? When are these materials available to buy? Very good parts so far.

alidan wrote at 5/13/2014 2:41:33 AM:

bronze power is 200$ for 10 lbs, and with it weighing more than 4 times normal, thats 1/4th the material for what will probably be 60+ a kilo...
for that price i need to see numbers on how structurally sound the material is.

JJ wrote at 5/12/2014 11:36:21 PM:

I wonder if you could burn out the PLA and infuse another metal to get an all-metal print the way the Exone metal printing for steel works. If the printed material is 80% bronze by volume, it's actually more dense than the printed Exone parts are before their infiltration. Not sure if you would want to infiltrate with more bronze or with a lower temperature metal.

3DWP wrote at 5/12/2014 5:38:25 PM:

Wow! Already loved the Woodfill and now this? Would love to try the new filament on my 3D printer.

CRAIG wrote at 5/12/2014 5:11:59 PM:

SIGN ME UP FOR BRONZE BOOTIES!!!!!!

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